Picker stick coupling



Marh 10, 1942. J. H. CHA'DBOURNE ET AL 2,275,611

PICKER STICK COUPLING Filed May 3, 1940 INVENTOR Patented Mar. '10, 1942 UNITED STATES UFFICE.

PICKER STICK COUPLER G Connecticut Application May 3, 1940, Serial No. 333,142

1 Claim.

This application is a continuation in part of our copending application Serial No. 310,742, entitled Picker stick coupling.

The present invention relates to the picking mechanism of a loom, and is particularly directed,

to a novel construction for a picker stick coupling.

It is the principal object of the invention to provide an improved construction of picker stick coupling which increases the strength and rigidity of the coupling and eliminates stretching.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved construction of picker stick coupling head and shank which increases the life of the coupling.

Another object of the present invention is to provide rawhide reinforcements for the shank and head without materially adding to the Width of the coupling.

With the above and other objects and advantageous features in view, the invention consists of a novel arrangement of parts more fully disclosed in the detailed description following, in

.. conjunction with the accompanying drawing, and

more specifically defined in the claim appended thereto.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a picker stick embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the blank for forming a picker stick of the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the blank after the head has been shaped;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the rawhide reinforcing members for the head;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the rawhide reinforcing members for the shank;

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the picker stick, parts being broken away;

Fig. '7 is a side elevation of the same;

Fig. 8 is a section taken along line 88 of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a modified form of the invention.

Referring to the drawing, and more particularly to Fig. 1 thereof, the numeral represents the picking arm, 2| the lug strap, and 22 the picker stick of a conventional loom picker arrangement. The picking arm 20 and lug strap 2| are joined by the picker coupling 23 which forms the subject matter of the invention, the

inner end portion 24 being joined to the picking arm 20 by a bolt or lug 25, and the outer end 26 being joined to the lug strap 2| by a bolt or lug 21.

To insure accurate operation, the picker coupling must be tough, unbreakable, and rigid enough not to stretch under the severe longitudinal strain. In constructing the picker stick coupling 23, a substantially rectangular wrapper 28 of canvas or similar flexible material has placed thereon a layer 29 of filling material which preferably comprises a plurality of parallel cords numbering approximately to the inch, the cords 9 being formed of cotton or woolen fibre or the like, and being disposed longitudinally of the wrapper. While this type of filler is preferable to the conventional rolled canvas because it aiiords greater resistance to stretching, the novel, reinforced construction hereinafter to be described permits the use of the rolled canvas filler without stretching.

An adhesive such as gelatinous glue is applied to the cords 29 and manually manipulated so as to impregnate the cords with the glue, which is also spread liberally on the inner surface of the wrapper 28. The wrapper 28 is next tightly rolled around the cords 29 with the longitudinal edges overlapping, and the package is next placed in a shaped mold and subjected to high pressure, whereby the contents are compactly pressed into the solid rectangular form shown in Fig. 2.

The resulting rectangular form 36, while still in a semi-plastic state, is placed in a second mold which compresses the end 24 into the form shown in Fig. 3. The resulting picker stick coupling thus includes an oblong shank 3| having a rectangular head 24 of greater width than the maximum width of the shank, but of reduced thickness caused by oppositely disposed lateral depressions 32. The longitudinal cords comprising the filling 29 extend the full length of the shank 3i and head 24 and are completely enclosed by the wrapper 28 except at the ends.

Where the filling 29 is formed of folded canvas or other suitable material, the method of construction is the same. If desired, the head 24 may be formed simultaneously with the rectangular portion 30 in a single molding operation.

The construction shown in Fig. 3 is then provided with a suitable journal opening 33 through which the bolt 2'! extends in attaching the lug strap 21, and the head 24 is provided with a central journal opening 34 for securing the picker stick coupling to the picking arm 2i). The

shank 3! is provided with four longitudinally.

aligned rivet openings 35 and the head 24 is also provided with four rivet openings 36.

Strips of rawhide 31 are now riveted on both sides of the shank 3| with their ends abutting the head 24, and the coupling is completed by reduced thickness of the head 24 takes up most of the thickness so that the plates 38 and strips 31 are substantially flush with each other. The longitudinal disposition of the strips 31 strengthens the shank 3| in the direction of the greatest strain and prevents stretching, while the plates 38 protect the journal opening 34 against wear or excessive knocking of the picker arm.

If desired, the strips 31 and plates 33 may be made in a single integral piece, as at 42 in Fig. 9. This construction increases the resistance of the coupling to the undesirable longitudinal stretching. The modification of the strengthening strips shown in Fig. 9 is illustrated as applied to a longer and larger type of coupling arm. The rectangular shank 43 may be formed in the same manner as the hereinabove described construction, with a flat head 44 wider than the shank 43 but of less thickness due to the depressions 45, corresponding to the indentations 32 shown in Fig. '7. In this construction, the head 44 is of greater length than the head 24 but is provided with the same standard rawhide plates 46 formed integrally with the shank strips 41 so that the head 44 will extend beyond the plates 46. This construction also provides a greater length of material behind the journal opening 48 between the opening and the end of the coupling, so that there will be less danger of the splitting of the end of the coupling under great stress.

The use of the longitudinal rawhide strips eliminates stretching, and the body of the picker coupling may be made of any desired material such as the cord filling described or folded canvas in one unitary construction. Although the head 24 is flattened, the compressed portion constitutes an integral continuous length of material from the shank portion and is not weakened by the compression.

While I have described certain specific embodiments of my invention and certain specific methods of manufacturing the same, it is obvious that changes in the size and shape of the parts, in their relative position, in the material used, and method of assembly, may be made without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

We claim:

A picker stick coupling member comprising an elongated rectangular shank and an integral rectangular head, the shank and head comprising continuous cords of textile material impregnated with adhesive, said head being recessed at the sides thereof, whereby the head thickness is narrower than the shank thickness, the sides of the head being wider than the sides of the shank, said sides having rawhide plates secured thereto,

the total thickness of said head and plates being substantially the thickness of the shank.

JOSEPH I-I. CHADBOURNE. CHARLES A. BURDICK. 

